The last two games have certainly been encouraging for Boston, however nobody is overlooking the number of teams and points that stand between the Bruins and the Stanley Cup Playoffs.

But, looking around the news this morning, at least one other writer seems to think that the B’s are back on the right track.

In a story entitled "B’s show signs of making playoff run" the Boston Herald’s Stephen Harris writes that "there could be real meaning in the B’s last two games, a pair of honest, hard, workmanlike efforts, in which every player looked like he gave a damn and stuck to his chores for 60 minutes.

Actually, it was 61:49 Saturday night in Raleigh, N.C., where the Bruins fought hard against the admittedly struggling Carolina Hurricanes before winning on Zdeno Chara’s power-play goal in sudden-death.

Viewed in tandem with Thursday’s tough, 3-2 loss to the Buffalo Sabres, the back-to-back showings suggest the B’s may have gotten back in touch with the emotions they’ll need to stay on a winning track."

In his story this morning the Boston Globe’s Fluto Shinzawa was more sedate.

"Saturday, the Bruins wiped out their five-game losing streak with a had-to-get-it 4-3 overtime victory over the Carolina Hurricanes.

But while the win rubbed out the season-worst string, it only added a spritz of perfume to mask the stench of head-scratching penalties that has lingered far too long.

The mood in the RBC Center’s visiting dressing room, which should have been turned upside down by a band of streak-snapping revelers, was tempered by the knowledge that the Bruins, for all their effort, were fortunate to leave Raleigh with two points."

So which is it?

Both.

Immediately after the game, Bruins head coach Dave Lewis said, "It doesn’t have to be this hard to win a hockey game, does it?"

But then, as the adrenaline of the win dissipated, Coach Lewis was more measured.

"I thought the guys battled and battled," he said. "It was absolutely a combined team effort.

"We were emotional. We were passionate -- blocking shots, great saves by Timmy. We scored some timely goals, and found a way to win a hockey game."